Content Description

This collection contains eleven correspondence from Private Beverly "Bev" Bealmear, U.S. Army, to his sister Edna West and her family during the First World War. Pvt. Bealmear wrote his letters from Kelly Field as part of Squadron H in San Antonio, Texas. The bulk of the correspondence is spent discussing his wish to be discharged since the war had ended. Also discussed is the influenza outbreak, promotions to officer without schooling, Armistice and a parade, working on airplane engines (Liberty motors), and cadet pilots wrecking twice a day, though few killed. The collection also contains one unit history celebrating Armistice in a newspaper clipping he sent with one letter.

Of particular note is a description of a speech on trench warfare given to his unit by a famous English evangelist that goes into some detail, dated October 22, 1918.

Dates

1918 August 24-1919 May 25

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Biographical / Historical

Private Beverly "Bev" Brown Bealmear, United States Army (12/28/1889 - 4/4/1967) was born in Dodge City, Kansas and worked as a self-employed farmer before registering for the draft on June 5, 1917. He served in Squadron H at Kelly Field during the First World War repairing Liberty motors on airplanes and after the war was intent on discharging as soon as possible.

He told his sister that he was interested in getting a promotion to Second Lieutenant but that would keep him in after the war ended and he did not want that. The influenza outbreak of 1918 also played a role in his correspondence to his sister, though neither he nor her family came down with the disease.

Pvt. Bealmear married his wife Nellie in 1929 and continued to work as a farmer in Ford County, KS and even registered for the draft again in 1942 though he was not selected at 52 years old. He passed away in Dodge City in 1967.

Collection organization

Citation

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Beverly B. Bealmear First World War correspondence (2017.287.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA. For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations. https://chapman.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/4/resources/572 Accessed June 07, 2020.